Climbing the "ladder" in Asia?

[Chrissays]

So, I'm getting obtaining my BA degree at the end of the year in Liberal Arts.

I hear a lot of people say teaching english in Asia (legally) is a spring board for other, better jobs.

Basically can I use my American degree as a spring board in Asia to find better work or high education for better work?

Like being an English teacher for a few years and find employment in a different field? Climbing my way up the employment ladder in Asia to ultimately becoming a middle-upper class citizen.

[Chrissays]

Bump

[Ghost]

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[Chrissays]

Sounds good. Thank you Ghost

[hammanta]

Whatever you study will likely become your trajectory. So if you get teaching credentials and start in TEFL, you could end up becoming a "lifer." It can be a difficult path to get off of, one reason being that it tends to be an easy life. That said, there are other jobs out there. A lot of guys get into TEFL thinking they'll do it for a year or two and then start a business. Few actually do it. There are a few jobs around that foreigners could do. For example, I knew an American who worked at a Chinese bank. If the job needs some native-English speakers, there might be something available. If you could do a trade abroad, you'd likely just make the same money as a local. If you're willing to work for the daddygov, you could try a .gov job abroad.

TEFL will have the straightest ladder. There are a few possible slots to move up, and you do get tangible benefits for doing so. That ladder will look something like this:

Teacher --> Senior Teacher --> Director of Studies (DOS) --> Management

Working at a bank or something, you'd probably not have much to advance but I imagine your starting position would be good.

There is a ladder, but for most it is a short ladder and isn't usually a direct climb up. TEFL work is the easiest, simplest ladder.

What about teaching at overseas international schools? Such as for military brats or Diplomat's kids. Do they only require TEFL or more specialized degrees such as a Masters in whatever subject. I'd imagine they pay better as well. I have no desire to teach English but another subject perhaps.

[Ghost]

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[chanta76]

I have to disagree. There are ESL teacher that becomes lifers in Asia because they get caught in the life style that Asia offers but it's not like they have allot of other choices when it comes to work. I would say few people actually are able to find other types of work outside of the ESL industry. It helps if you learn to speak the native language to broaden your choices but also to have an advance degree. For example let say you have a MBA or masters degree might be able to get you out of the ESL industry.